Understanding Advocacy, Social Mobilisation and Communication

An excerpt from the paper follows:

What is advocacy?

"Advocacy is the action of delivering an argument to gain commitment from political and social leaders and to prepare a society for a particular issue. Advocacy involves the selection and organisation of information to create a convincing argument, and its delivery through various interpersonal and media channels. Advocacy includes organising and building alliances across various stakeholders.

On its own, advocacy cannot achieve much. Social mobilisation and effective communication are also essential to achieving its objectives.

There are several different ways of looking at and understanding advocacy. In this overview we follow a well-tested approach that sees advocacy as part of a wider continuum of a communication process, that includes social mobilisation and programme communication (McKee 1992). The first component in this continuum is creating awareness and gaining the commitment of decision-makers for a social cause, and this is called advocacy. Increasingly, advocacy is people-based and people-driven. A rights-based approach to development is also very helpful in understanding advocacy..."

Advocacy tools

"Interpersonal meetings are the most effective and participatory advocacy tools, but with the limited availability of advocates in the field, the potential number of people reached is limited and further expansion is costly. Other common tools used for advocacy include:

• lobbying to influence the policy process by working closely with key individuals in political and governmental structures;
• meetings, usually as part of a lobbying strategy
• negotiation, to reach a common position
• project visits, to demonstrate good practice.

Many advocacy initiatives involve members of the general public influencing policy makers. Tools for reaching the public include newsletters, e-mail/internet, flyers, pamphlets, booklets, fact sheets, posters, video and drama, petitions and canvassing. The media (press, TV and radio) reach the general public and contribute to setting the agenda for politicians and policy makers..."

Social mobilisation

"Social mobilisation is the process of bringing together allies from various sectors to raise awareness of and demand for a particular development programme or policy change. The process mobilises allies at different levels in society to assist in the delivery of resources and services, to strengthen community participation for sustainability and self-reliance, and to bring about transparent and accountable decision-making. Social mobilisation is the glue that binds advocacy to planned and researched programme communication.

Programme communication is the process of identifying, segmenting and targeting specific groups and audiences with particular strategies, messages or training programmes; reaching them through various mass media and interpersonal channels, both traditional and non-traditional. Effective communication is a two-way dialogue, where senders and receivers of information interact on an equal footing and where this interchange of knowledge and experience leads to mutual discovery. During effective communication, planners, experts and field workers learn to listen to people about their concerns, needs and possibilities...."

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